Member Profile
Adam Andrews Every certification course that I am fortunate enough to be a part of brings with it unique and unprecedented events. The certification course I conducted at Indian Hills Golf Course in Fort Pierce, Florida, this past year certainly proved to be a case of the unprecedented. All who attended did well in the course, but one young man stood out among the rest by the name of Adam Andrews. Originally from the United Kingdom,...
Helping Athletes Assess Their Mental Skills
Editor’s note: This is an article written for athletes in any sport in general, and the principles especially apply to golf, perhaps the most mental game of all. Introduction During those times when you and your athletes reflect on what they need to do to improve their overall performances, remember that it’s not only what they do physically that matters, but it’s what they do mentally that matters more. It is during these periods of...
Tricks of the Trade for Low-Handicap Players
Those of us who have ever played golf have undoubtedly had the experience of having the wheels come completely off. Or, you have found yourself in a pattern that kept repeating itself, such as topping or hooking. It might be confined to only one club, or every club in the bag. Here are some quick-fi x “tricks of the trade” that I have learned over the years that you can impart to your low-handicap students and players. A word of...
An Explanation of the USGA Handicap System….Introducing An Alternative Method
The USGA Handicap System™ is recognized as the standard for fi guring handicaps in the United States and in some other parts of the world. Golfers of differing abilities can ostensibly play on equal terms. It’s important for teachers and coaches to know how handi caps are fi gured under the USGA system. A course is assigned a course rating and a slope rating. To fi gure the course rating, a scratch yardage rating to the nearest tenth...
Looking Back
Having struck my first golf shot more than 55 years ago, I enjoy reminiscing about golf’s past and my own golf memories. I miss the sight of a beautifully grainedwooden-headed driver, remembering whenthe wooden heads seemed normal in size in relation to the ball size…masterly finished, gleaming against the green grass with a bright white ball perched in front, begging to be struck down the fairway. I miss those smaller British balls....
One Hundred Tips for Golf Teaching Professionals
Over the years, the USGTF has continually put out continuing education material geared towards its members. This material has taken the form of both books and DVDs. There is one publication, in particular, of which we are quite proud: One Hundred Tips For Golf Teaching Professionals. Written by the USGTF Technical Committee, the book is a valuable guide for teaching professionals looking to hone their skills. The book consists of...
A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Instruction
As golf instructors, we are problem solvers by nature. A new student meets us for a lesson, and they present us with their issues. Those of us who have been around golf instruction for awhile could probably write an entertaining book of student-presented golfrelated problems. We hear common concerns such as, “I slice the ball off the tee,” and, “I don’t hit it far enough,” to dramatic dilemmas like, “I freeze over 10-foot...
When Enough is Enough
We’ve all heard someone say at one time or another, “I took lessons from so-and-so, and he ruined my game.” Some of today’s high-priced tour gurus are known to have as many failures as successes. In Timothy Gallwey’s book The Inner Game of Golf, he relates the story of a golfer who takes up the game, and within a year is shooting par. The golfer’s friends, amazed at his progress, urge him to take lessons and join the tour. After...
What I Said Then…..What I Think Now
In the Summer 1999 edition of American Golf Pro (now Golf Teaching Pro), I wrote an article on alternative swing methods. The article detailed my experiments with these methods, and my subsequent beliefs regarding them. What I wrote was not without controversy. One of our teaching professionals at the St. Lucie Range (which the USGTF operated at the time) was quite upset with me. He had made a serious study of Moe Norman’s method over...
Tiger Woods Throughout the Years
I n t h e 1980s, Nick Faldo was known as “Nick Foldo,” because he often stumbled in the fourth round of tournaments, especially major championships. He went to instructor David Leadbetter and completely revamped his swing. Faldo’s motion went from a leg-driven, reverse-C action (reminiscent of the champions of the 1970s, most notably Johnny Miller) to a more rotational modern look. Faldo went on to win six major championships and was...
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